Canada’s Abuja, Lagos Visa Centres Remain Operational, Says High Commission

The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria has confirmed that its Abuja and Lagos visa application centres are open and processing immigration, refugee, and citizenship applications.

Following a fire incident at its generator house that resulted in two casualties on Monday, the Canadian High Commission had initially announced the suspension of operations at its Abuja office.

This move had raised concerns among Nigerians about potential disruptions to the visa application processes.

However, in a statement released on Thursday, the Canadian High Commission, through its public affairs staff, Demilade Kosemani, clarified the ongoing operations at the Abuja and Lagos visa application centres.

The statement assured Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada clients that application processing continues despite the temporary suspension of operations at the High Commission of Canada in Abuja, emphasizing that both the Visa Application Centres in Abuja and Lagos remain fully functional.

Meanwhile, TMT Travels and Tours Limited, a travel agency, expressed condolences to the Canadian High Commission in light of the tragic fire incident on Monday.

In a statement on Thursday, the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Collins Onukwubiri, extended sympathy, stating, “We at TMT Travels and Tours Limited share in the grief and sense of loss of the Canadian embassy in Abuja. The partial burning of the Canadian embassy in Abuja and the death of two workers there was most unfortunate.

“Canada, as a major player in the Nigeria’s travel and tours business, is an integral player in Nigeria’s economy. We acknowledge the devastating impact of this unfortunate incident on them, and we want to express our solidarity with them during this time and beyond. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the two individuals who lost their lives in the incident.”